Overview
Learn about keeping safe during a fire emergency in outpatient settings.
Fire Events
UCSF Health developed procedures to expedite evacuation of the clinics in unforeseen events. If a fire is SUSPECTED or CONFIRMED, remain calm and immediately do the following:
- Remove patients and personnel from the immediate fire area, if safe to do so.
- Activate Alarm and Notify others - follow 3 steps:
1) Pull the nearest Fire Alarm (pull station)
2) Call 911! Provide (a) location of fire including building, floor, and room number; (b) description of problem; (c) your name and contact number.
3) Notify your fellow staff members and ask them to help. - Contain the fire and the smoke by closing all doors leading into and surrounding the fire area. Do not lock doors.
- Extinguish the fire if safe to do so by using your nearest fire extinguisher and reciting the PASS acronym,(Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) and have an associate retrieve a second extinguisher or Evacuate (a) if the fire cannot be extinguished safely; evacuate the area horizontally to the next safe smoke compartment; (b) do not open doors that feel hot to the touch near the top; (c) if it is not safe to evacuate horizontally, evacuate vertically down a safe stairwell to the designated vertical evacuation staging floor/unit.
Download, print and post PASS Fire Extinguisher instructions
General Evacuation Procedures
Ambulatory or Clinic Locations
Non-essential staff not directly attending to patients should assist visitors and ambulatory patients to the nearest emergency exit and evacuate the building. Upon exiting, staff should notify arriving first responders of any staff members and non-ambulatory patients who may still be in the building (provide floor, stairwell location, room, etc.). Staff assisting non-ambulatory patients should begin preparing to evacuate or move patients to an “Area of Refuge” (stairwell) as circumstances require. The minimum number of staff needed to attend to a patient should stay in effect. All others should evacuate. Follow the EXIT signs to the outside of the building then gather at your designated Assembly Area and take roll-call of all those present. Report anyone missing to fire professionals.
Evacuation Routes
Do you know your Evacuation Route? Check!
Do you know your building's Assembly Area?
Floor Warden Program
Floor Wardens are assigned to each floor or department within a building to help ensure that all are aware of an emergency situation and facilitate appropriate staff response.